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People group profile · PG006660

The Aluo of China

The Aluo of China, numbering about 42,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a small ethno‑linguistic people group in southwest China, officially classified as part of the Yi (彝族) nationality, but with a strong and distinct internal identity, language, and religious tradition.

They are an indigenous people in the Other Tibeto-Burmese people cluster of the Tibetan Peoples. Their primary religion is Chinese Folk Religion, and they primarily speak Axi Yi.

Pray for the AluoPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Aluo people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Aluo

Fast facts

Country
China
Population
42,000
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Other Tibeto-Burmese
Primary language
Axi Yi (yix)
Primary religion
Chinese Folk Religion
Strategic Progress Index ?
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Frontier Unreached People Group
Also known as
阿鲁, 阿罗族
Region
Eastern Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Aluo are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Aluo

  • Continue prayer and fasting for this group
  • Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
  • Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Primary religion

Chinese Folk Religion · Ethnoreligion

100% adherents

Primary language

Axi Yi · Sino-Tibetan family

70% speak Axi Yi

Gospel resources in Axi Yi

  • Bible not available
  • JESUS Film not available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources not available
  • Bible stories not available

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Aluo

  1. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  2. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  3. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  4. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.

Download a prayer guide

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